Join me on my quest to attend all 162 Brewers games during the 2012 season, while raising awareness for the Be The Match Registry along the way.

June 21st, 2012

Wednesday started with a 7:45 am alarm, so I could be coherent for an 8:30 interview on a Milwaukee area radio show. Unfortunately there was a mix-up at the radio station and they never called me to do the interview. I would’ve slept until 9:00 so I was a little frustrated that they messed up. After finding out that they weren’t going to call I started packing for the road trip. I left my parents’ house at 10:50 and met another former coworker (Steve) in Johnson Creek. He offered to drive and it was nice being a passenger for a change. Of the last 2,634 miles I had gone in a car only 17 of them were as a passenger.

We got to the Money parking lot at 11:58, and were inside shortly thereafter. We went to section 220 and I got game photo number 69 taken care of. If you didn’t see the posts were I had explained what I’m doing for home games, I’ll revisit the topic. Before the season started I realized that since I would be going to all 81 home games, I needed to think of a way to make the game number photos (somewhat) interesting. I started in the right field corner of the upper deck and moved over a section or two at a time to get a slow panoramic-esque effect. I’m currently doing the same thing in the loge level, and then wrapping up on the field level.

Steve and I walked around a bit, and then hit up a concession stand for a Polish and a Miller Lite. Steve was buying and I explained that the Polish sausage was my favorite sausage. He had never tried one so we both ordered a Polish with sautéed onions. We then went down the stairs behind section 216, said hi to Bill, and then set up shop in front of the press box. It was over 90 degrees, even hotter in the sun, and we wanted no part of it. My seats in section 221 are in the sun for two and a half hours for 1:10 games, and it can become unbearable.

The Blue Jays took an early 1-0 lead when Edwin Encarnacion led off the second inning with his third home run of the series. In the bottom of the second inning the Brewers answered and erupted for five runs. Corey Hart hit a one out home run that just cleared the right field fence to tie the game at one. After a Rickie Weeks strikeout, Cody Ransom walked, and then Maldonado connected on his 5th home run in just his 59th at bat of the year. Gallardo followed Maldonado with a double and Carlos Gomez hit the fourth home run of the second inning (the 3rd for the Crew) and the Brewers had a 5-1 lead. This was our view from in front of the press box as Gomez touched home plate.

In the fifth inning Nyjer Morgan drove in his first Brewers run this year that wasn’t himself and the Brewers went up 6-1. Coming into the game he had two solo home runs, which accounted for his two RBIs. Gallardo started for the Brewers, and was pulled with two outs in the seventh inning after allowing three straight two-out base runners including a double that drove in the Blue Jays’ second run. Tim Dillard came in and while walking Bautista and hitting Encarnacion, the latter forcing in a run, he got out of the inning without further damage. At this point Steve and I had went down to our seats, and I got a picture of Dillard pitching. I have to give Dillard some love because he reached out to me by leaving a comment (which I didn’t approve because he had included his email address). I was a little skeptical at first but after sending him an email he confirmed that it was him, and since I chatted with him on the field at Dodger Stadium, it makes sense. If someone had commented saying they were Ryan Braun, I’d be a little more skeptical. I joked in my email to him that he should stop in centerfield while pulling the candy suitcase, and wave towards the press box (to reassure me that it was him). He said he would wave if he remembered, but then I completely forget to watch him and Perez walk out to the ‘pen. I was too busy scarfing down the polish sausage, and it slipped my mind. Tim; if you’re reading this and if you did remember to wave, thanks!

The Brewers held a 6-3 lead going into the bottom of the seventh, and Ryan Braun provided some Badger Mutual Insurance runs. That’s what insurance runs are referred to as on the Brewers Radio Network, and I can hear Uecker saying that in my head as I type this. Braun’s home run came with one out and T-Plush on first base, and it gave the Brewers a 8-3 lead. As Braun neared third base I took a picture of the scene. I think the “Braun Bomber” scoreboard graphic is new, but I’m not sure. I don’t pay too much attention to the scoreboard during a home run trot, so it could have been used this entire season and I just didn’t notice it.

Dillard pitched the eighth inning, Mike Fiers pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning, and the Brewers won the game and the series. Final Score: Brewers 8 – Blue Jays 3. During the seventh inning stretch I had a fan two rows in front of us take a picture of me and Steve with the field in the background. Steve is on the left and I’m on the right. I had a great time with Steve and he and his wife are waiting for their registration kits in the mail so they can join the bone marrow donor registry. Steve also donated $30 to Be The Match and I appreciate his generosity. I told him that Theresa (another former coworker) is up next, and after relaying the message to her she has already texted, asking me what games are left to choose from.

My luck finally ran out, and I’ve got a cold. I could sense it coming a few days ago, but I feel absolutely miserable right now. I wish I could just curl up and sleep for a few days, but I’m not going to let a cold stop me. I’m leaving for Chicago tonight at 5:45, and I should be arriving at Alex and Jess’ place around 8:30 or so. I was hoping to hit up Hot Doug’s tomorrow for a Chicago style hot dog, but I might just take it easy and try to recover before heading to U.S. Cellular for the first game of the series vs. the White Sox.

Brandon, who joined me at Monday’s game, wrote a post on his blog about his experience. I have to give him a shout out for mentioning me, and it’s always nice to hear that a stranger (before we met) enjoyed his/her experience with me at a game. The feeling was mutual, thanks Brandon!

Personal Stats:

Daily:

Time inside Miller Park: 4 hours 11 minutes

Time on stadium grounds: 4 hours 26 minutes

Miles driven: 63.7

Miles riding in car but not driving: 82.7

Sausages: 1 (Polish)

Pitches Missed: 1 (In the third inning I was opening my bottle of water, and I was looking at the bottle and not the field…. pathetic) If I could’ve made it the whole game I would’ve set a new personal record. I’ll just have to start over, and try to be more careful.

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